2027 Best Value Legal Assistant/Paralegal Schools in the The Plains States Region
[Legal Assistant/Paralegal](/majors/legal-studies-and-professions/legal-support-services/legal-assistant-paralegal/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong legal assistant/paralegal education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 11 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for legal assistant/paralegal students.
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2027 Best Value Legal Assistant/Paralegal Schools in the The Plains States Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in legal assistant/paralegal, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Legal Assistant/Paralegal Schools
Metropolitan Community College Area earned the #1 spot for value among legal assistant/paralegal schools in the The Plains States Region. Metropolitan Community College Area is a very large public school located in the city of Omaha. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,375, compared with $4,950 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $12,799 to complete the legal assistant/paralegal program here. Early-career legal assistant/paralegal graduates make about $45,583. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Metropolitan Community College Kansas City earned it the #2 place for legal assistant/paralegal. Located in the city of Kansas City, Metropolitan Community College Kansas City is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $3,630 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $9,600. Legal Assistant/paralegal graduates carry a median of $12,281 in student loans. Soon after graduation, legal assistant/paralegal degree recipients from Metropolitan Community College Kansas City generally make around $46,660. Set against $12,281 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Saint Louis Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in legal assistant/paralegal, landing the #3 spot this year. Saint Louis Community College is a very large public school located in the suburb of Bridgeton. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,660, while out-of-state students pay about $6,990. Legal Assistant/paralegal graduates carry a median of $6,500 in student loans. Legal Assistant/paralegal graduates of Saint Louis Community College earn a median of $31,842 early in their careers. Set against $6,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in legal assistant/paralegal will find it at Kirkwood Community College, which ranked #4. Kirkwood Community College is a large public school located in the city of Cedar Rapids. Students from in state pay about $6,176 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $8,220. Typical student debt for legal assistant/paralegal graduates is $25,083. Early-career legal assistant/paralegal graduates make about $41,681. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Des Moines Area Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in legal assistant/paralegal, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Ankeny, Des Moines Area Community College is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $5,790 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $6,690. Legal Assistant/paralegal graduates carry a median of $12,250 in student loans. Soon after graduation, legal assistant/paralegal degree recipients from Des Moines Area Community College generally make around $49,137. That is a strong return on a $12,250 median debt.
Inver Hills Community College placed #6 among the best values for legal assistant/paralegal. Located in the suburb of Inver Grove Heights, Inver Hills Community College is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,146. Typical student debt for legal assistant/paralegal graduates is $24,521. Legal Assistant/paralegal graduates of Inver Hills Community College earn a median of $49,694 early in their careers. Set against $24,521 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
North Hennepin Community College placed #7 among the best values for legal assistant/paralegal. Located in the suburb of Brooklyn Park, North Hennepin Community College is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,061. Typical student debt for legal assistant/paralegal graduates is $18,625. Early-career legal assistant/paralegal graduates make about $48,780. That is a strong return on a $18,625 median debt.
Johnson County Community College earned the #8 position for value in legal assistant/paralegal this year. Located in the city of Overland Park, Johnson County Community College is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $2,424, while out-of-state students pay about $5,688. Students borrow a median of $19,367 to complete the legal assistant/paralegal program here. Soon after graduation, legal assistant/paralegal degree recipients from Johnson County Community College generally make around $44,921. That is a strong return on a $19,367 median debt.
Rasmussen College Minnesota landed the #9 spot for legal assistant/paralegal value this year. Set in the city of St. Cloud, Rasmussen College Minnesota is a large private for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,199. Typical student debt for legal assistant/paralegal graduates is $28,336. Legal Assistant/paralegal graduates of Rasmussen College Minnesota earn a median of $37,457 early in their careers. Set against $28,336 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Hamline University ranked #10 on our 2027 list of the best value legal assistant/paralegal schools. Set in the city of Saint Paul, Hamline University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $50,004. Students borrow a median of $24,250 to complete the legal assistant/paralegal program here. Soon after graduation, legal assistant/paralegal degree recipients from Hamline University generally make around $40,297. Set against $24,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
Webster University earned the #11 position for value in legal assistant/paralegal this year. Set in the suburb of Saint Louis, Webster University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $31,750. Typical student debt for legal assistant/paralegal graduates is $25,939. Soon after graduation, legal assistant/paralegal degree recipients from Webster University generally make around $57,152. That is a strong return on a $25,939 median debt. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 11 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 11 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
